By Kelly Poltrack
Illustrated by Leticia Plate
“I liked Virginia. All my friends were there,” Mary whispered to her bear. “I shouldn’t even be talking to you. My brother is right. Nine is too old to have a teddy bear. But I don’t know anyone else here.”
“Come on, Mary, let’s go! Time for school,” called her mom.
Mary trudged down the hall and picked up her books. “My third school and I’m only in the fourth grade,” she thought as she climbed into their tiny Spanish car. Looking out the window she spied the path to the beach. Well, maybe it’s not all bad, she hoped.
Mary trailed behind the student assigned to show her to her new classroom. Mary knew what was coming next. She would walk into the classroom and twenty-two heads would turn and look at her. She could feel them staring already. Mary had been the new kid in school before, but that didn’t make it any easier.
She looked at her shoes as the teacher asked her name. Mary mumbled and slid into her chair. Mary looked around once class had resumed. She had never been to a school on a Navy base before. The classroom looked like any other classroom except for the maps on the wall. In addition to the map of the United States, they had one of Spain and one of Europe.
Mary studied the other students. All of these kids were the sons and daughters of American servicemen just as she was. Mary wondered if they all missed the United States as well. They didn’t seem to mind being here. They laughed at each other, and moaned when the teacher gave homework just like back home. One girl with dark curly hair even smiled at her.
After school Mary threw her books on the kitchen table and grabbed an orange. “Hey Mom, did you know my name would be Maria in Spanish?” she asked. Mary and her dad had been working on their Spanish before they moved but it hadn’t seemed very important at the time.
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